Random Topps Card of the Day: 2012 Topps #389 Alexi Casilla

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Wednesday, May 1, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 2012 Topps #389.
• Player Name, position, team: Alexi Casilla, second baseman, Minnesota Twins.
• Major League Debut: September 1, 2006.
• Last Line of Statistics: 2011 stats (Twins): 97 G, 323 AB, 52 R, 84 H, 21 2B, 4 3B, 2 HR, 21 RBI, 15 SB, 28 BB, 45 SO, .368 SLG, .691 OPS .260 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Signed with the Angels as a Free Agent 02/21/2003. Traded by the Angles to the Twins 12/09/2005. Bats: both. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 5. This is his fifth Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Alexi's main virtues are speed and defense, but he has a flair for the big hit. Between September 25, 2008 and June 9, 2011, he had 11 opportunities for a walk-off hit, and he delivered five times."
• Commentary: Maybe it's just me, or maybe you've noticed it too. While I do like Topps' choices of action shots because it makes me feel like I'm actually at the game, but I think in recent years that Topps is getting a bit too close to the action with their photo choices. Sure I'd like to see some of the on-field emotion that comes with swinging for the fences or making that great catch, but what's that old saying, "less is more?" Take into consideration the above card. It's a nice clear shot of Alexi Casilla going for a foul pop up against the stadium wall (as he has not played in the outfield since 2008, I have to assume that this was taken during a game that he was playing third base...unless this shot was taken in 2008...but that's not likely). But you don't see the ball. Was it close to his glove that he could make the catch? Was there somebody backing him up? If Topps could have only cut back a bit so we could get a better idea of what the actual shot looked like, maybe we'd know what was going on during the game. But I digress. The speedy Alexi Casilla wasn't asked to power up the offense, but rather use his speed and patience to get on base and let the M&M boys (or whoever else could drive in runs) bring him home. In 2012, Casilla appeared in 106 games, but hit .241 with a homer, 30 runs driven in, 21 stolen bases, and an OPS of .603. Defensively, he committed 9 errors in 454 chances (.980 fielding percentage) with 263 assists and 81 double plays. But because the Twins could not afford to wait on another one of Casilla's slow starts, and because they wanted to see how Brian Dozier would do at second, the team placed Casilla on waivers. He was picked up by the Orioles, and so far, Alexi is hitting .219 in 14 games (7-32 as of April 29, 2013).
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.15-$0.40.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 7 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be 1989 Topps Traded #30T. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Hope you will be too.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama